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NEWS NEWS NEWS

ARCADIA CITRUS PROGRAM begins 9th year

Saturday, January 30, 2010 

As the citrus ripens in the Phoenix area, it attracts and encourages roof rat actitity.  The Arcadia Citrus Program provides a convenient location for Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe residents to drop fruit from their properties. Five tons were collected in the first week.

 

Citrus Collection hits 143 tons

Saturday, March 28, 2009

143 tons was collected for the 8th annual citrus collection at the Scottsdale Elks Club. Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe residents gleened fruit from the trees, transporting them in boxes, bags, and the beds of pick up trucks.  Special thanks to all the homeowners, volunteers, the City of Scottsdale, the Scottsdale Elks and the Maricopa County Sheriff's offfice for making this our best year.

 

"Bee" alert about handling bees
Tuesday, March 4, 2009
Warming temperatures and spring rains produce perfect conditions for growing bee colonies. Wood piles, old tires and access locations (holes in walls and eaves) into structures are ideal for bees to take up residency. In Arizona, africanized and honey bees have combined, making them difficult to distinguish one from another.
Here are some tips on "How to handle bees":
1. Be alert for groups of bees entering or leaving an opening.
2. Manage potential colony sites. Fill up or cover holes, eaves or water-meter box keyholes. Remove old tires, piles of lumber and overturned flowerpots.
3. If you find a colony; leave it alone, keep others away and call a beekeeper or pest control company. If the colony is in a public area, notify your local parks department, Forest Service, or Arizona Game and Fish.
4. Do not use spray or open flames to get rid of bees; they will attack.
5. Keep your dogs under control. If a disturbs a colony, the bees are likely to follow it. The dog could bring the bees back to you.
6. Avoid attracting bees. Wear light-colored clothing and avoid wearing any strong scents.
7. Bees attack the head and eyes first. If attacked, cover your face and run to a building or vehicle for shelter. Do not swat at the bees or flail your arms. Movement attacts them. Do not jump into water, the bees may wait for you to come up for air.
8. Once you have reached shelter, remove all the stingers by scraping then with your fingernail, the edge of a credit card, a dull knife blade or twisters.
9. If you have been stung more than 15 times, are feeling ill or are allegic to bee stings, seek medical attention immediately.

Sources: Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, AAA Africanized Bee Removal
Specialist.

Roof Rats expand into more Phoenix area neighborhoods
Wednesday, November 28, 2008
There is good and bad news when it comes to roof rats in the Phoenix metro area. On the bad side, the night loving rodents are not only here to stay, but they are showing up in more neighborhoods from North Scottsdale to Ahwatukee and Mesa to West Phoenix.
The good news is they are relatively easy to control, when residents follow the recommended program. In a nutshell, homeowners need to get their properties in order, manicure the landscape, eradicate roof rats when detected, set up safeguards and talk to your neighbors. If you have roof rats, so does any or all of your immediate neighbors. Areas where neighbors work together have a high success record of being rat-free.

PUBS are best means to protect your property from roof rats
Tuesday, November 20, 2008
The personal use bait station (aka PUBS) has been found to be the best means to defend your property from roof rats. PUBS are used to house suggested poisons in a safe manner. Roof rats search each evening for water and food sources. When they encounter a bait station, the night loving rodent enters the PUBS, eats it's fill and goes about it's business. The poison takes effect in three days and the roof rat is dead in four to five.
Properly located, the PUBS will remove the rats from a yard area and then will continue to protect it from future scouting roof rats.
The PUBS and the poison with the best results, "Just One Bite" are available at the following locations:
Phoenix: Ace Hardware at 3111 East Indian School, 602-952-0058
Scottsdale: Scottsdale Livestock at 7501 East Redfield, 480-998-1860
Tempe: Tempe Feed and Tack at 1041 W. University, 480-966-3884

Scottsdale's retailers help in roof rat battle
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Scottsdale is better equipped to fight roof rats with Scottsdale Livestock carrying the rodent eradication secret weapon, PUBS (personal use bait station) and Just One Bite (specially formulated poison bait). Scottsdale Livestock is localed at 7501 East Redfield, Scottsdale, AZ, 480-998-1860.
Taking the fight one more step, ACE Hardware at 10300 North Scottsdale is stocking the "RAT ZAPPER Ultra", as well as Just One Bite. For more information, call 480-368-8343.

Roof rats trapped in toilets
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
The eve of Christmas eve, a frantic neighbor had found a roof rat in her toilet. By the time she had recruited help to rid the rodent, it had returned to the sewer. This occurrence is only unusual, because most of the time the rat droughts or is eradicated by the surprised resident. More and more rats are being reported in toilets.
To protect your home from a water closet swimmer, trim trees 24" away from the roof edge and screen the 3" vent pipes on your roof.

Roof rats doubling their efforts in twin cities of Scottsdale and Tempe
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
An increase in roof rat activity has been reported in the East Valley cities of Scottsdale and Tempe. Tempe has had an ongoing battle in the Boardway and College neighborhood, recently the night roaming rats have taken up in Warner Ranch. Scottsdale's McCormick Ranch is not getting off easy with a high level of rodent sightings in the past six months, now South Scottsdale is finding they have the citrus thirsy pest. Reports from the Scottsdale Road and McKellips area have been received of roof rats found both inside and out of their resident's homes.
Best means of keeping your home and yard rat free is setting "Just One Bite" poison in PUBS (personal use bait stations) in key locations, where the resident believes the roof rat may be traveling.
"Just One Bite" and the host PUBS are available at Tempe Feed and Tack, 1041 West University, Tempe, AZ and Scottsdale Livestock, 10634 North 71st Place.

Roof rats increase in McCormick Ranch
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Roof rat activity is on the rise in the Scottsdale's McCormick Ranch. This subdivision is ideal for the nighttime pest, since it features older homes, lush landscape and community wide lakes. The three necessities for hosting roof rats; shelter, food and water.
McCormick Ranch has other challenges. Winter visitor residents may provide unchecked harbor-age and the Ranch's contiguous block walls allow for safe travel of the rats from property to property.
"Ranchers" can protect their homes from roof rats, by manicuring their landscape and setting out poison in a safe manner. Properly placed poison in bait stations can eliminate rats as they scout out new territory.

Cooler temps means hotter roof rat activity
Thursday, September 14, 2006
As the Phoenix area moves into the cooler temperatures, roof rats will be getting active. The mild, wet summer has allowed the rats to reproduce and move into new neighborhoods. A hot, Arizona summer will suppress the rodent's reproduction and forcing them into a survival mode. September is the time to trim back landscape from the summer growth and refresh the poison to bait stations. Bait stations should be placed where residents believe roof rats are either nesting or feeding. Feeding evidence would be fruit shavings under a tree or hollowed out fruit on or under a citrus tree or pomegranate bush.
Previously installed bait stations may need to be moved to a new location or on a property line fence to push the rats out of the yard and keep a defensive line of protection.
Most effective poison is Just One Bite and coupled with a PUBS (a bait station to keep the poison safe and fresh) will help keep your property rat free.

PUBS are best roof rat defense
Thursday, January 5, 2006
PUBS are the nickname for Personal Use Bait Stations. These bait stations safely contain the recommended poison for the roof rat fight. Once a property is clear of debris, the buildings sealed and the landscape manicured, the "first line of defense" is the PUBS.
When roof rats are discovered in citrus trees, PUBS are an effective means of eliminating this pest. Citrus are a key water source for the rodents. After satifying their thirst, they are looking for a food source which is a good opportunity for using the poison bait. They eat the poison and die in 3 to 5 days, usually in the landscape.
The best defense for the overall neighborhood would be each neighbor having 2 to 4 PUBS around their yard.

LOOK and LISTEN
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Roof rats are on the move again. LOOK around your property for signs of roof rat presence, such as hollow fruit on or around citrus trees. Inspect roof and eaves for acess points and trim trees 24" away from the roof structure. This will reduce the rodent's ability to make your attic their home. LISTEN for sounds in the evening and early morning, this is when roof rats go on the search for their daily need of food and water.
LOOK and LISTEN is the best way to start your roof rat investigation.

Be on the watch
Friday, January 30, 2004
BE DEFENSIVE: As roof rats appear around the Phoenix area, it is important to plan for potential problems. The following tips will help defend against a rodent invasion:
1. Seal around your home, especially at all attic penetrations.
2. Repair any screens at roof vents, bird blocks, and doors.
3. Trim trees away from house, thin oleander, and harvest citrus.
4. Clean up property, garage, and storage rooms.
5. Help your immediate neighbors with their properties.

DON'T WORRY, BE WATCHFUL. Look for warnings signs of roof rats.
1. Hollowed out citrus still on the tree.
2. Gnawing or scratching sounds in the attic.
3. Rodent droppings in attics, garages, or storage rooms.
4. Unsettled pets

KEEP INFORMED OF NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THE ROOF RAT PROBLEM.

Being humane may cause roof rats to spread
Friday, December 19, 2003
Roof rats could spread to other parts of Phoenix by residents performing acts of compassion. Humanitarian homeowners may use live traps to catch roof rats, the problem arises of what to do with a live rat.
The live rat still must be disposed of, which leads to only a couple of options. Destroy the rat and place it dead in a double zip lock bag and place it in a sealed refuse container. Call a professional pest company to handle. Contact Maricopa County Vector Control.
Releasing a roof rat in another neighborhood, city park or the desert is prohibited. This introduction of a nonindigenous rodent could cause an outbreak to an unexpecting neighborhood, as happened in the Arcadia area. One pregnant female can produce over 2000 offspring in one year. Since they are noctural and neophobic, the roof rats can go easily undetected for a long length of time.

Neighbors help each other battle roof rats
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Eliminating roof rats is a simple task which requires being viligent. Residents should be on the look out for signs of roof rat activity, such as hollowed out citrus, gnaw marks around roof eaves, or unsettled pets. The three simple steps to combat the unwanted visitors is seal any access into the house, thin and manicure lush landscape, and set out the recommended traps and poisons.
Once a resident has won the roof rat invasion battle, a defensive line of poisons should be maintained for any future insurgence. Roof rat travel territory is 200 to 300 feet, which would also make your neighbors victim to the problem. Roof rat eradication information needs to be given to all immediate neighbors around your property in order to fully push the destructive pest out of the neighborhood.
Volunteering to assist your neighbors with their property is one of the best community services that East Valley residents can perform, BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR.